Comparison of clinical efficacy and gut microbiota characteristics in children with ASD treated with fecal microbiota transplantation and ketogenic diet

Objective Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments in social communication and interaction, along with restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior. It is often accompanied by gastrointestinal dysfunction and gut microbiota dysbiosis. Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) and the Ketogenic Diet (KD) are interventions targeting the gut microbiota for ASD.Methods 30 participants were diagnosed with ASD according to DSM-5 and ADOS-2. ASD core symptoms were evaluated with CARS and ABC. Gut microbiota composition was analyzed by shotgun metagenomic sequencing.Results Both groups demonstrated significant improvements in core symptoms. In the FMT group, the mean CARS score significantly decreased from 34.87 to 33.53 (p Conclusions Both interventions significantly improved clinical symptoms among children with ASD, potentially through distinct patterns of gut microbiota modulation.Clinical trials number NCT06348433 (03/21/2024).